flammer



(No Model.)

% UNESSEZ:

9 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. D. PLAMMBR.

ENVELOPE MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

I! Q) INVENTOH:

A 770/?NE 78 THE NORRIS Pnzns cm, mmwurmm wAsumm-au, a. c.

(No Model.) 9 SheetsSheet 3. J. D. FLAMMER.

ENVELOPE MACHINE.

egg

A TTORNE 73 (No Model.) 9 SheetsSheet 4., J. D. PLAMMER.

ENVELOPE MACHINE. No. 435,816. Patented Sept. 2,1890.

(No Model.) 9 sheets -sheet 5.

J. D. FLAMMER.

ENVELOPE MACHINE.

No. 435,816. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

l USED: "/21 1 5 J. if?" Eugl/ B v A TTORNEYS THE MINE PETERS 50., PNOTOLITNO., IANINGI'ON, O. C.

(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 9. J. D; PLAMMBR. ENVELOPE MACHINE.

No. 435.816. Patented Sept. 2, 1890.

A 50 V m WITNESSES: INVENTOH m: naams Parana cm. Marc-awn, vnsnmaron, u c.

llivrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. FLAMMER, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

ENVELOPE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,816, dated September 2, 1890.

Application filed October 13, 1888. Serial No. 287,987. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN D. FLAMMER, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Envelope-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in 'envelope-machines, and has for its object to provide a machine of simple and durable con struction capable of operation by foot-power, and which will automatically and expeditiously fold, press, an d perforate an envelopeblank.

The invention consists in the novel con struction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine, the parts being in position to commence operations. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 1 y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line a; a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a vertical section on line to w of Fig. 1, the pasting-box being in the upper position and the foldingblocks represented as folding the envelope. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of Fig. 3, illustrating the machine in the resting position and ready for the reception of a blank. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the machine, illustratin g the platform and pasting-box as carried downward to their lowest position. Fig. 7 is a vertical section illustrating the platform and pasting-box in their lowest position. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the tripping and locking device. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the paste-box and forming-blocks, the punching mechanism and folding-blocks being turned in. Fig. 10 is a section on line 10 10 of Fig. 2, illustrating the box in position to paste. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the pasting-box, and Fig. 11 is a side view of the same.

It is the prime object of the present invention to provide a machine for forming and pasting en velope-blanks which maybe readily transported and conveniently manipulated, and wherein the mechanism employed in the construction of the machine will be of a simple and durable character, and also wherein the machine may be built at a minimum cost.

In carrying out the invention the frame consists of a table 10, usually supported by two side pieces 11 and opposing standards 12 and 13, projected perpendicularly upward from the sides of the table at or near the center of the same, which standards are preferably connected at the top by a bar 1-1 and provided with a longitudinal slot 15, the said slots being carried downward in the supporting side pieces 11. The side pieces 11 and the standards aligning the same will, if desired, be made integral, and two pins are provided upon the inside of the upright standards, being adapted to limit the movement of the bar 17, as shown in Fig. 1, which bar will be hereinafter described. Near the top of the standards the ends of a horizontal bar 16 are projected through the slots 15, which bar is fixed to the standards. Two cross-bars 17 and 18 are held to slide vertically in the slots of the standards, one bar 17 being located above the table and the other bar 18 beneath the same. The two cross-bars are united by rods 19 to move together, and the ends of the lower bar extending through the said slots 15 are connected by springs 20 with the extremities of the fixed horizontal bar 16, as best shown in Fig. 1.

Upon the upper face of the upper sliding bar 17 the paste-box 21 is centrally secured, having produced in opposite sides curved or angular slots 22, corresponding in contour to the respective top and bottom flaps of an envelope-blank. These slots are preferably located from one-half to three-quarters of an inch from the bottom of the paste-box, it being necessary only to paste the envelope to such an extent that the flaps may be properly sealed. The pasters 23 are pivoted in the ends of the box-one at each of the slotted sideswhich pasters usually consist of a suitably-shaped metal plate 24, provided at or near the top with attached pads 25 of any absorbent material, the said pads being formed to the contour of the slots 22, and so located that when the plates are brought to a vertical position the pads will enter and project through the said slots 22, as best shown in Figs. 7 and 11. Each paster is provided with two arms 26 at its extremities, having secured thereto a cord 27, a light chain, or its equivalent, and the said cords are passed through guides 28, formed upon the pasteboX, to a connection with the free end of springs 29, fastened to the upper face of the horizontal fixed bar 16, as best illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. WVhen the paste-box is in position above the table and the cords are slacked, the pasters lie horizontally in the bottom of the box, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and the cords near their lower ends cross each other. hen the paste-box is carried downward below the table, the cords are drawn tight and raise the pasters to a vertical position, causing the saturated pads to project from the box, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

The table 10 is provided with a central preferably rectangular opening 30, surrounded by a downwardly-projecting metal casing 31, the paste-box being adapted'to pass through the said opening and within the easing when carried down to its lowest position. Around the opening a depression 32 is produced in the upper surface of the table 10, which depression is shaped in accordance with the contour of the envelope-blank, whereby the several flaps of the said blank are accommodated. At the rear of the depression 32 a vertical guide 33 is secured to the table, and in practice when the blank is brought in contact with the inner face of the said guide vit will have assumed a proper position to be folded into shape.

In that portion of the depression 32'located at the sides of the table-opening metal folding-blocks 34 and 35 are respectively hinged, adapted to compress the end flaps of the blanks, and at the rear of the openinga larger folding-block 36 is hinged, purposed to com press the bottom fiap,-the forward portion of the depression being adapted for the reception of the closing-flap. The pivot 37 of the folding-block 36 projects outward from the ends of the same, and at each extremity of blocks cause the flaps to be folded down one after the other, and to accomplish this the racks 43 and 44 are made one longer than the other, and the said racks are provided with a sufficient number of teeth to cause the blocks as acted upon to describe a half-circleand then drop down with the flaps. The same number of teeth will throw the said blocks outward. The width of the spacesbetween the teeth of the racks will depend upon thenurnnot be pushed down, as their blocks would then be resting upon their beds.

The body of the envelope-blank issupported upona rectangular compressible box-like platform 45, held to slide within the casing 31, the said platform being provided with two apertures in the top for punches to pass through, and closed at the top, two sides, and bottom only. The bottom of the platform is attached to a cross-bar 46, and the said crossbar is connected with the standard above the table by spiral or coiled springs 47.

One object of this invention is to perforate the blank at or near two corners when it is receiving its first fold, and to that end a bar 48 is secured horizontally upon the-under side of the table, and, passing through and between the bar 46 and the platform 45, the said bar 48 is provided with removable screw-punches 49, which punches are adapted to perforate the blank when threads are used in connection with the envelope, so that when the envelope is closed and the contents are touching either of the two perforated corners the tearing of said contents may be avoided by ripping the letter open at that end where the contentswillcause theleastimpediment. The punch-bar 48 is located parallel with the platform, and the punches extend upward within the same, performing their function when said platform comes in contact with or is resting upon the said bar. The lower sliding bar 18 is connected by a link 50 with any approved form of foot-treadle 50, fulcrumed at or near the bottom of the fixed frame. Upon the top of the sliding bar 18 a hinged stop 51. is secured, extending beyond the rear edge of the slot produced in said bar, and at the front edge of said slot an angle-arm 52 is firmly attached, projecting, preferably, to the left. A downwardly-extending vertical post 53 is secured to the back of the table near its center,

having an arm 54 located near its center and extending toward the front, upon which arm a latch 55 is fulcrumed, provided with a head 56, and at the bottom of said lat-ch-bara spring 57 is attached, brought from the lower end of the post 53, by the tension of which spring the latch-bar is held in a vertical position when its head is bearing against or upon the casing 31. The latch-bar is provided with an charged, the foot-lever is depressed, whereupon the frame carrying the paste-box, consisting of the united cross-bars 17 and 18, is lowered. As the frame descends, the anglearm 52 presses down upon the link of the latch-bar 55 and throws the lower end of the latter toward the front,whereupon the hinged stop 51 is brought in contact with the latchfinger, and the stop folding upward clears the finger and falls back to its bed. \Vhile this movement is taking place the paste-box 21 is nearing the platform I5 and the foldingblocks are thrown outward. \V hen the treadle is stopped, the upper face of the hinged stop 51 is brought into engagement with the finger 58, and while said finger is resting upon said hinged stop the angle-arm 52, having been pressed upon the link, releases the head of the latch-bar from the upper face of the bar 46, bearing upon the edge of the same, and places the platform 45 essentially flush with the table, leaving the latch-bar 55 in an inclined position, caused by the tension of the spring 57, and the said angle arm again slightly raises the link. This position I term the position of rest, as when the paste-box is brought down the folding-blocks are turned outside away from the top of the platform t5, so that the completed envelope maybe removed and a new blank placed in position. The folding-blocks are now in the horizontal position at each side of the table-opening, a blank is laid upon the platform 45, and the treadle again depressed, and as the sliding frame is carried farther downward the paste box is brought in contact with the body of the blank and presses the same into the easing surrounding the table-opening, while at the same time the platform 45 is pushed downward and the blank 61 is partially folded, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and the pasters are brought to the vertical position by the tension exerted thereon, transferring a sufficient quantity of fluid through the apertures in the paste-box to the top and bottom flaps of the blank. At the same time the punches are brought in contact with the body of the blank and the said blank is perforated. During the period that the paste-box is operating in conjunction with the platform 45 the former forces the latter downward and the bar 4-6 moves away from the head of the latchbar, and said head bears on the casing 31, thereby placing the latch-bar in the vertical position and its head ready to limit the upward movement of the bar 46 when the latter again moves upward, locating the platform 45 in a depressed and proper position to give the folding-blocks free action to fold the [laps of the envelope-blank. Upon the release of the treadle the sliding frame travels upward to its normal position and the angle-arm 5:2 of the frame ascends and engages with the link upon the latch-bar, elevating the same and removing it from the path of the frame. As the folding-blocks were thrown outward upon the downward movement of the sliding frame,

so upon the upward movement of the said frame they are closed down upon the partially-folded and gummed blank. and cause the end and bottom flaps to adhere one to the other.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a frame having slots and a fixed table having an opening, of a casing surrounding the said opening, a second frame and springs attached to the said frame and to the fixed frame, the said second frame carrying a paste-box and sliding in the slots of the first frame, an angle-arm and a hinged stop secured to the lower bar of the sliding frame, a box-like platform loosely supported in said opening of the table on a yielding bar and operating in conjunction with the said paste-box, a fulcrumed spring latch-bar provided with a shifting link, a head, and finger, the said angle-arm being capable of contact with the said link, and the said head with the cross-bar carrying the box-like platform to limitits upward movement, and the said finger being capable of contact with the said hinged stop, forming a rest, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a sliding frame having springs attached to its lower cross-bar, of a table having an opening, a fixed frame to which the ends of the said springs areatt-ached, the said sliding frame carrying a slotted box on the under side of its upper crossbar, and pasters provided with suitable pads pivoted within the box capable of projecting through the said slots and contacting with an envelope-blank, cords leading through guides attached to the arms of the said pasters and to springs on the cross-bar of the fixed frame, an apertured platform, the said box being capable of contact with the envelope-blank upon the apertured platform, and punches secured to the bar located upon the under side of the table, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a machine of the characterdescribed, the combination, with an apertured table, a down wardly-extending casing attached to the Walls of the aperture, and folding-blocks provided with gears hinged to the upper face of the table at the margin of the aperture, of a springcontrolled sliding frame, mutilated racks attached to the lower portion of said frame and operating in conjunction with the said gears, a guide adjacent to the back of the said margin of the table-aperture, and a paste-box connected with the upper portion of the said spring-controlled frame, adapted to enter the said casing, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a table provided with slots and a central aperture, and foldingbloeks hinged at the margin of the table-ap erture and provided with attached gears, of

a sliding frame, perpendicular racks secured 1 to the lower crossbar of the sliding frame adapted to project upward through suitable openings in the table and meshing with the gears of the folding-blocks, the said racks being provided with teeth differently arranged, whereby one folding-block after the other is caused to fall, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with a table provided with a central aperture, a guide-casing attached to the Walls of the said aperture, a spring-supported bar located beneath the casing, and a box-like platform carried by the bar and adapted to enter the casing. of a springpressod locking latch-bar centrally fulcrum ed upon one side Wall of the machine-frame provided with an integral head adapted for engagement with the said spring-supported our -a finger projected from the locking-bar, a

elevated, through the angular slots, and cords attached to the pads and passed in contact with the guides,substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

JOHN D. FLAMHER. 'Witnesses:

J. F. AoKER, J12, C. SEDGVVIOK. 

